Countertop Evaluation

While I'm not looking to build an award-winning (read: budget-busting) kitchen, I still want something other than cheap
laminate countertops. So I've been evaluating a number of options.

Option One: Concrete

I'd made this choice quite some time ago,
before the house had even taken shape. But I hadn't done any research into concrete countertops,
and when I finally did, I had to strike it off the list. It's more costly than I'd
expected, and concrete is porous so it requires sealing every 2-3 years, which is a lot more maintenance than I'd prefer.

Option Two: Quartz

This option had the appeal
of being the most durable. But to demonstrate how ignorant I was about countertop types, I'd thought this was a natural material, closely related to granite, since
the mineral quartz is a large component of granite. Turns out it's a manmade material that's actually one of the more expensive options available.

Option Three: Granite

Of the options I'd considered,
granite was the least appealing, mostly because it tends to be a very "busy-looking" material, with wide
variations in color and pattern, and I'd wanted something much more neutral or "bland," even though it was one of the cheaper options I'd
looked at. Its popularity only adds to my dislike of the material: I'm not one to follow trends.

Option Four: Stainless Steel

During my research into
countertops, by pure chance I stumbled across an option I'd never considered: stainless steel. It's not especially popular because it tends to
look "industrial" or "commercial." But such a look is actually appealing to me, and the stainless appliances would blend in perfectly. What's
not appealing is the price: it's the most costly option I've considered. But I have a secret advantage: I know that they're made by
gluing a sheet of stainless steel to a solid wooden core. I could make the core myself, and have a metal fabricator make the stainless
cladding. But I've been having second thoughts about this option...

Option Five: Ceramic Tile

While reviewing photos of
my favorite architect's home,
I spotted something I'd overlooked before: the countertops are ceramic tile, edged with wood. The effect was striking, and I immediately thought,
"I can absolutely do that!" Furthermore, it would be the most economical option by a wide margin. So, this just might become my choice. I even
like the color...